All Our Kin Welcomes NY Governor’s Commitment To Child Care, Asserts It Is ‘Not Enough’ To Solve State’s Care Crisis

In response to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address today, Steven Morales, New York Policy Director for All Our Kin, released the following statement:

“For years, New York’s child care system has been hanging on by a thread. Providers can barely make ends meet, and parents struggle to access high-quality care that fits their needs. We welcome the Governor’s commitment to expanding access to child care and supplementing educator wages, both of which are desperately needed. We also know this is not enough to solve New York’s long-standing child care crisis.

“As the Governor noted, child care is essential to give our youngest learners the best possible chance at success and parents the ability to participate and advance in the workforce. Tens of thousands of New York families trust family child care educators, who offer home-based care, to provide high-quality learning environments to their youngest children. Families and educators across New York need significant and sustained investment to pull the child care system from the brink of collapse, allow family child care businesses to thrive, and get our economy on track.

“State legislators have introduced bills that support universal access to child care and fair wages for providers. We urge Governor Hochul to collaborate with lawmakers and advocates to achieve universal child care, recognizing the vital role of family child care educators in our state. Along with fellow members of the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, we look forward to working with Governor Hochul and members of the State Legislature to ensure that family child care educators and the families they serve receive the attention and investment they deserve in this year’s state budget and beyond.”

All Our Kin is a national nonprofit organization that trains, supports and sustains family child care educators. Through All Our Kin’s programming, educators build sustainable child care businesses, parents have access to stable, high-quality childcare, and children gain the educational foundation that lays the groundwork for success in school and life.